Traveling to Aruba Checklist – The Best Vacation Ever!

Ensure a safe and enjoyable Aruba family vacation or remote work break with our Traveling to Aruba Checklist. This southern Caribbean island prioritizes safety and the well-being of visitors — and of residents — with certain requirements.

Read on to learn about documents, what to pack, recommended hotels, restaurants and activities in the paradise that calls itself “One Happy Island.”

Aruba Document Checklist: Be Prepared For Paradise

To start, all ages need to obtain an Online ED Card (Embarkation-Debarkation card) prior to arrival in Aruba. This is true for every visitor!

Your email receipt with barcode will be checked at the departure airport. Keep a screenshot available in your phone’s photo gallery in case WiFi or cell service don’t work. Upon landing in Aruba, Immigration officials will review your ED Card and issue a visa.

Feel good about giving back to the island because visitors now support sustainable tourism. In July 2024, Aruba added an annual US$20 Sustainability Fee (collected during the ED Card application process) to their US$3 Environmental Tax. So, in addition to helping fund environmental initiatives, island visitors will also contribute to building a new wastewater treatment plant and other infrastructure projects.

* Ages 7 and under and repeat visitors are exempt from new fees.

Why Aruba? Do The Vacationer’s Requirements Checklist

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What about your family’s travel requirements for a great vacation? In our house, we look for warm weather, pristine beaches, cheap airfare, great food and convenience. Aruba definitely checks all the boxes:

[*]  Tropical Weather. It averages 82 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Aruba is south of the hurricane belt, only 21 miles from Venezuela, with a mild rainy season from October to January.

[*]  Beautiful Beaches. There are 12 major ones with room to spread out.

[*]   Cheap Flights. Aruba is served by Southwest, JetBlue, Spirit and Sun Country.

[*]   Great Food. Choose between seafood, European cafes and local places to avoid the many American fast food, chain restaurants.

[*]   Easy to Manage. Islanders conveniently accept U.S. dollars and speak English, Spanish or Dutch in addition to the native Papiamento.

After those five must-haves for a family beach vacation, we always dig deeper to find local culture and new experiences. If you, like us, need to get away but want more than a standard flop n’ drop beach vacation, read on for our tips and finds from a recent Aruba family vacation.

Traveling To Aruba Checklist – 10 Tips Packing List!

When preparing for your trip to Aruba, it’s vital to take the sunny and warm climate into account. Below, you’ll find a list of essential items to include in your packing for your Aruba vacation:

1. Lightweight Attire

Given Aruba’s tropical climate, ensure you pack lightweight, breathable clothing such as shorts, sundresses, T-shirts, and swimsuits. Don’t overlook stylish beach cover-ups, especially for women.

2. Swimwear Variety

Considering the abundance of beach and water activities, bring multiple swimsuits to ensure you’re always ready for aquatic adventures.

3. Sun Protection:

Aruba enjoys year-round sunshine, so pack sunscreen with a high SPF rating, sunglasses, a broad-brimmed hat, and a beach umbrella to provide extra shade. Swimmers and snorkelers should consider wearing an SPF or UV-blocking garment against the strong sun.

4. Footwear Selection

Comfortable sandals or flip-flops are ideal for beach outings and casual strolls. If you plan to explore the island’s natural wonders, pack a pair of sturdy sneakers or walking shoes.

5. Medications and Toiletries

Pack any necessary prescription medications and basic toiletries like shampoo, soap, and personal hygiene products, as these items can be expensive on the island.

6. Travel Documents

Don’t overlook your passport, airline tickets, travel insurance, and any required visas or travel authorizations. Remote workers can support the local economy by making Aruba their work from home resort. Plan a One Happy Workation with special long-stay hotel discounts and a free, 90-day entry visa.

7. Travel Locks

Enhance the security of your belongings by using luggage locks in your hotel room or rental property.

8. Travel Adapters and Voltage Converters

If your electronic devices require different voltage or plug types, pack the necessary adapters and voltage converters.

9. Insect Repellent

While not a significant concern, insect repellent can be beneficial in specific areas, particularly during the evening hours.

10. Reusable Shopping Bag

Aruba has implemented a ban on single-use plastic bags, making it advantageous to bring a reusable tote for groceries and souvenirs.

Vacation Your Way in Aruba’s Luxury Resorts, All-Inclusive Resorts, Or Boutique Hotels

Aruba has approximately 13,000 hotel rooms in a land mass that’s only 20 miles long by 6 miles wide. Travelers on any budget will find a fun place to stay, typically within one or two blocks of the beach. Keep in mind that rates depend on season (winter holidays most expensive), view, and the beach you’re on (Eagle Beach is the most popular.) Read on for ideas on where to stay.

Favorite Among Aruba Boutique Hotels

Hoping to avoid crowds and casinos altogether? Choose the small Boardwalk Boutique Hotel, a complex of one and two-story casitas. They’re enclosed in a lushly planted tropical garden one block inland – a world away — from the lively, busy tourist scene of Palm Beach. All units are small casitas with kitchenettes.

An Aruba Family Resort: Embassy Suites Aruba

Our most recent visit included a stay at the spacious, new  Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort. Families love the brand’s all-suite layouts. Host your clan in one bedroom with a king or two queens, a living area with sofabed, dining table, kitchenette with minifridge and one bathroom, or request connecting rooms.

A fresh, cooked-to-order breakfast is included. Plus, there’s a grab n’go deli, a stylish lobby terrace café called Brickstones and a casual poolside café, Splash. Next door is the supervised Kids Club, opening in summer 2025.

The sprawling Aruba property, however, has even more family-friendly attributes. Since it’s situated across the road from the beach, a delightful tunnel (decorated in graffiti that provides dozens of selfie opportunities) lets you cross easily and safely.

The halfmoon, white sand beach is protected by rock jetties that form a shallow, warm pool for young swimmers and feels so private. Another perk we like is that each guest gets two free drink tickets to the nightly lobby Happy Hour. Go and enjoy a variety of cocktails or zero-proof options because it’s a good time to meet others in the lobby.

Lastly, this property is angled to overlook the pool and beach on one side and the Bubali Lagoon Bird Sanctuary on the other. Birdwatchers can request lagoon-view rooms.

All-Inclusive Resort Options on Aruba

While there are several international brands represented on Aruba, we like the Divi Resorts Group, which opened on Aruba in 1969 and has expanded to five different resorts. All-inclusive resorts are great for families who enjoy eating and drinking like they’re on vacation!

Each beachfront Divi property prides itself on helpful staff, good value, several pools, bars and restaurants. Some resorts feature golf and other have kids clubs. Check for their Kids under 5 Stay and Eat Free promotion and frequent online specials.

Getting Around Aruba: It’s Easy And Cheap

Aruba has cheap public buses running up and down the beach. Since we were newbies, we did not take them but many long-stay expats use them regularly.

There are no international rideshare companies operating on the island. Taxis, however, are plentiful. Taxi rates are regulated by the government. Note that when you request a taxi at hotels or restaurants, they call the companies they like to work with, so prices may vary.

Rent a Car to Explore

Rent a car to get away from the very commercial tourist enclaves. We explored the island on our own, finding many happy islanders, lots of Venezuelan workers, and a diverse mix of travelers.

Another Aruba travel requirement: Get a navigation system in your rental car.

Here is an Aruba checklist of road tripping ideas.

Find Arubian Culture in Oranjestad

Whether you drive, taxi or find a bus, spend an hour exploring the sprawling capital of Oranjestad. We love the lanes near the restored Dutch colonial buildings. Take the trolley along a pedestrian mall that’s typically full of window-shopping cruise ship passengers. Look for the Cosecha shop if you want to purchase authentically local handicrafts and souvenirs. Taste of Aruba serves the local favorite fish, pargito.

Visitors interested in Arubian culture will learn more at the weekly Bon Bini Festival than anywhere else. On Tuesday evenings (6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at our visit), look for food stalls, a bar, and some crafts and jewelry vendors set up in Fort Zouteman’s courtyard. During the show, a narrator recites the island’s history while local dancers illustrate themes like slavery, the Spanish conquest, and Dutch settlement. A deafening brass band with a drum corps marches in at the end.

Tour San Nicolas for Aruba Street Art

The funky, two-story town of San Nicolas on the south end of the island claims to have the largest collection of street art in the Caribbean. Roam the few streets in this village where mostly abandoned buildings are graffitied with sophisticated murals.

Eat Your Way Around Aruba’s Robust Dining Scene

We said food was important to our family vacations, and it is. When you see the plethora of fastfood American chain restaurants, don’t be dismayed! Aruba has a notable culinary scene, and its own “Top Chef Aruba” competition. However, we go with Bon Appetit’s Aruba restaurant recommendations any day. (Make reservations when you book your flights.)

We generally prefer the casual local places, and restaurant reservations are recommended everywhere. Here is a checklist of some of our favorite eateries.

Sample Aruba’s Bounty from the Sea at West Deck

The West Deck’s outdoor and indoor rooms overlook a government beach in Oranjestad so it’s popular for sunset views. Caribbean seafood and vegan specialties go well with the local Barashi beer. As at most of the local places, fish comes with rice, fried plantains and pan bati, which is a lightly pan-fried cornbread. Their tangy Caribbean-influenced Key Lime Pie is surprisingly good.

Enjoy A Romantic Night Out by the Lighthouse at El Faro Blanco

To us, El Faro Blanco has one of the prettiest settings on the island. Tables are set out on a limestone block terrace overlooking Aruba’s north coast. Just behind is California Lighthouse, a local landmark. The tasty food is very old-world Italian — lots of marinara sauces and garlic – and the service is wonderful. We tried the delicious fresh pasta made with seafood, clams, and chunks of fish. More dressy and expensive than most places, it is perfect for a romantic meal.

Get Close Up to Aruba’s Local Fishermen at Savaneta

Zeerovers embodies the beach shack style even though it’s on a marina in Savaneta. Tru to form, it doesn’t take reservations. Go, wait, and chat about the day’s catch with other patrons. Once it’s your turn at the window, you can order shrimp or fish of the day (wahoo and amberjack at our visit) – always deep fried – and sides of tangy onions in vinegar, tartar sauce, French fries or cornbread.

We happily waited at our shaded picnic table for everything to be delivered. Savor the opportunity. Watch old-timers clean and filet the fish as it comes in off the boats. Down a Barashi beer in tiny, children’s sized glass bottles. Eat with your fingers and lick palm oil off your hands. Follow up your feast with a savory coconut ice cream served in a Kalypso shell.

Dine Inland Like The Expats and Save at Wacky Wahoo

We’d heard about the Wacky Wahoo. It’s a 10-minute walk inland from the Palm Beach hotels in a small strip mall where lazy dogs and cats roam.

Here, it was all about the fish. The large daily catch menu includes wahoo, barracuda, ahi tuna, and snapper filets, plus local lobster. Catering to international tastes, Wacky Wahoo will fry, grill, broil, or pan-sear your fish with Caribbean spices. Pasta is available if you don’t like rice and beans. Our shared ceviche – a huge bowl – was crisply fresh. The Arubian fish soup is redolent of Caribbean peppers, oregano, papaya juice, and limes. A grilled barracuda and lobster tail special, both delicious, followed. Cashew cake drizzled in chocolate sauce with tart frozen yogurt guaranteed rave reviews.

Go Beach Hopping, an Aruba Requirement

Between restaurants, we looked for many of Aruba’s famous beaches, unmarked on unpaved roads.

The Embassy Suites Aruba is between Eagle Beach and Palm Beach so finding them was a no-brainer. The gorgeous blue sea had alternating bands of pale turquoise over the white sand and navy over the undersea coral reefs. The sea was speckled with passing windsurfers and myriad kite boarders. Palm Beach is lined with hotels and most had their own concessions pedaling jet skis, catamaran rides, windsurfers, standup paddle boards and kiteboards, so it’s a great place to try new watersports.  

Eagle Beach is where Aruba’s fame as a tourist destination began. Today, this beach area lined with a bike path seems more residential. You’ll recognize the low-rise small hotels, many restaurants and shops and more development inland from the coast.

To us, the water seemed cleaner at north coast beaches like Arashi, under the lighthouse on Aruba’s north point. Whether the water clarity is hampered by sand kicked up by constant tradewinds, or by the masses of tourists spilling sunblock and boat fuel into the surf we will never know.

Put Snorkeling on Your Aruba Checklist

Aruba’s scuba diving is world famous because so many reefs are close to shore.

Not divers? Don’t miss a snorkeling tour. Red Sail Sports has the beach concession at several resorts and will arrange a snorkel trip. They do a great job whatever your request. With several families, couples from around the world, and a rollicking 40th birthday group, we spent a memorable morning at sea.

Our first stop was along the north coast, a shallow water chance to test out the quality snorkel masks and fins that Red Sail provided. After a half hour in the water, we set sail with some Latin dance music, fresh fruit snacks, watching kite boarders zoom by. At the wreck of the WWII ship, Las Antillas. In about 45 feet of water, we could not see many fish, but it was fun to spot pieces of the wreck’s hull and anchor below us. Then we sailed to Boca Catalina, a bay with a reef not far from Arashi Beach. High winds made the water choppy but some marine life did swim by.

But it was taking pictures, using the waterslide and watching grownups dance – all touted as signs of “One Happy Island” — that made our trip memorable.

And our final Aruba travel requirements?

[1]   Sample Aruba’s famous crushed shell beaches

[2]    Wade into the calm, shallow surf

[3]   Commit to the 5-minute walk to the beach each night for sunset

[4]  Be happy

If this traveling to aruba checklist article helped you, consider checking out these other articles below –

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